Neurobiological research - Different models of bevioral research - Mouse

8 important questions on Neurobiological research - Different models of bevioral research - Mouse

What are knock-out mice?

These are mice where genes are removed, it is thus a genetic modification. This mouse are used to study the function of a gene in an organism compared with a wild type dat doesn’t have a genetic modification.

What are three ways to create a knockout mouse?

- With Embryonic Stem cells
- Using Crispr-Cas9 for genetic adaptations
- Cre-LoxP system

How is a knockout mouse made with the use of embryonic stem cells?

1. The stem cells are collected and fertilized in a embryoblast which is inserted in a surrogate mother.
2. Therefore, there will be a mouse that have cells from knockout cell line and some from the healthy mouse.
3. This will be mated with a wild type of mouse and the offspring will be black or white. The black mouse has a homozygous knockout gene.
4. Those mice are then paired together and therefore 25% of the offspring will be homozygous dominant for the knock-out gene.
5. Determined Using PCR
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Where is the cre-Lox system used for in research?

With this system the researcher can choose a location and time when a gene is manipulated (knocked out). This way it is possible to knock out a gene after embryonal development and choose a specific time in a mouse his life to knock out the gene. 

How does the Cre-Lox system work?

This is a technique where two mouse are mated Cre-mouse and a LoxP mouse. Therefore, for a transgenic mouse is created were the cre-recombinase is inserted after a specific promotor. Because this promotor can be expressed in certain cell types the expression of this enzyme can be limited to these cells. The Cre-recombinase can then be expressed and cut out specific LoxP genes in the genome of the mouse where genes can be knocked-out.

How does the LoxP sited needs to be directed to result in a knock-out?

LoxP sites going in the same direction results in deletions and thus a knock-out.

What is the difference between homologous vs site-specific recombination?

Homologous recombination is the mechanism of exchange of genetic material between two identical DNA or RNA strands, site specific recombination is the exchange of genetic material between DNA strands that possess a certain level of sequence homology.

What is Conditional knock out?

When the researcher determines when the gene is knocked out.

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